Will Reichard
![]() Reichard in 2023 | |
No. 16 –Minnesota Vikings | |
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Position: | Placekicker |
Personal information | |
Born: | Hoover, Alabama,U.S. | January 9, 2001
Height: | 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) |
Weight: | 187 lb (85 kg) |
Career information | |
High school: | Hoover |
College: | Alabama(2019–2023) |
NFL draft: | 2024/ Round: 6 / Pick: 203 |
Career history | |
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Roster status: | Active |
Career highlights and awards | |
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Player stats atPFR |
Will Reichard(born January 9, 2001)[1]is an American professionalfootballplacekickerfor theMinnesota Vikingsof theNational Football League(NFL). He playedcollege footballfor theAlabama Crimson Tide,where he became the all-timeNCAA Division I FBS scoring leader.
Early life
[edit]Reichard was born on January 9, 2001, and grew up inHoover, Alabama.Starting in 6th grade, he attended Kohl's Kicking Camps each year and was eventually their number one ranked kicker and number two ranked punter.[2][3]He attendedHoover High Schoolin his hometown, and made 27-of-29 career field goal attempts and was perfect on extra points, making all 109 attempts. As a senior, Reichard was named to theUSA Today All-USA high school football teamand played in theUnder Armour All-America Game.The nation's top kicker according toESPN,he received scholarship offers fromAuburn,LSU,Oklahoma,Alabama,Oregon,andGeorgia,committing to Alabama.[4]
College career
[edit]2019: freshman season
[edit]After committing to Alabama, Reichard won the starting placekicker position in training camp, and was given every kicking position to start his first career game. Playing againstDukein week one, he went perfect on 6 extra point attempts, punted twice for 81 yards, and had every kickoff result in a touchback.[4]He missed the final half of the season following injuries, finishing the year 4-for-7 on field goals and 21-for-22 on extra points.[5]
2020: sophomore season
[edit]As a sophomore in2020,Reichard played in every game, and went a perfect 98-for-98 on field goals and extra points, becoming only the second Alabama player in history to accomplish that feat.[6]He was named special teams player of the week after games againstTexas A&M,LSU,Mississippi State,Georgia,andTennessee.After placing fifth in the country with 126 points scored, Reichard was a first-teamAll-Americaselection byCBS Sportsand a second-team pick byThe Sporting News.He also was a finalist for theLou Groza Award,given to the best kicker in the nation. His team went 13–0 that year, and were named national champions.[4]
2021: junior season
[edit]As a junior in2021,Reichard made 22 of 28 field goal attempts and all but one of his 72 extra point attempts, being the overallSoutheastern Conference(SEC) leader in points scored and being ranked fifth nationally.[7][8]He earned SEC Special Teams Player of the Week honors againstMiamiand also recorded 106 kickoffs for 6,264 yards (a 59.1 average) with 59 touchbacks.[8]
2022: senior season
[edit]Reichard was a semifinalist for the Lou Groza Award in 2022 after being second in the SEC and third in the nation with 130 total points scored.[9]He converted 22 of 26 field goal attempts and all 64 extra points, additionally totaling 95 kickoffs for 5,948 yards and 47 touchbacks, averaging 62.6 yards per.[4][10]He twice earned SEC Special Teams Player of the Week honors and was named second-team All-SEC byAssociated Pressand league coaches and honorable mention All-American byPro Football Focus.[4]After initially deciding to enter the2023 NFL draft,he changed his mind and opted to return for a fifth and final season at Alabama in 2023 after having had his eligibility extended a year due to theCOVID-19 pandemic.[10]
2023: graduate season
[edit]On October 14, 2023, against theArkansas Razorbacks,Reichard set the record for most points scored in Southeastern Conference history at 486, surpassing former Auburn kickerDaniel Carlson's 480.[11]He scored nine points againstAuburnin theIron Bowlto tieKeenan Reynoldsfor the NCAA's all-time scoring mark with 530 points.[12]The following week, he set the record with a field goal in Alabama'sSEC Championship Gamevictory.[13]
Professional career
[edit]Height | Weight | Arm length | Hand span | |||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
6 ft0+7⁄8in (1.85 m) |
187 lb (85 kg) |
31 in (0.79 m) |
8+1⁄2in (0.22 m) | |||||||||
All values fromNFL Combine[14][15] |
Reichard was selected by the Minnesota Vikings in the sixth round, 203rd overall, of the2024 NFL draft.[16]
References
[edit]- ^Hall, Erik (December 3, 2020)."Will Reichard: 5 things to know about the Alabama Crimson Tide football placekicker".Tuscaloosa News.
- ^"Will Reichard".kohlskicking.com.
- ^Tsoukalas, Tony (October 2, 2020)."Alabama kicker Will Reichard kicks in memory of his father".Rivals.com.
- ^abcde"Will Reichard – Football".University of Alabama Athletics.
- ^"Will Reichard 2019 Game Log".College Football at Sports-Reference.com.RetrievedJuly 1,2024.
- ^Casagrande, Michael (January 21, 2021)."How rare was Alabama kicker Will Reichard's perfect season? Pretty rare".AL.com.
- ^Dowd, Patrick (July 27, 2022)."Alabama K Will Reichard named to Lou Groza Award Watch List".Touchdown Alabama.
- ^abByler, Blake (August 5, 2022)."2022 Alabama Crimson Tide Position Preview: Special Teams".Sports Illustrated.
- ^Tsoukalas, Tony (August 2, 2023)."Will Reichard included in Lou Groza Award preseason watch list".Rivals.com.
- ^abWindham, Kate (January 3, 2023)."Alabama K Will Reichard Changes Mind, Comes Back for Fifth Season".Sports Illustrated.RetrievedJune 30,2024.
- ^Snyder, Anna (October 14, 2023)."Mr. Reliable: Alabama football's Will Reichard becomes SEC all-time leading scorer in win over Arkansas".Tuscaloosa News.RetrievedOctober 21,2023.
- ^Knowlton, Jack (November 25, 2023)."Will Reichard ties NCAA career points record".Rivals.com.RetrievedJune 30,2024.
- ^Miller, Will (December 2, 2023)."Will Reichard Breaks NCAA's Career Scoring Record".Sports Illustrated.RetrievedJune 30,2024.
- ^"Will Reichard Draft and Combine Prospect Profile".NFL.com.RetrievedMarch 28,2024.
- ^"2024 NFL Draft Scout Will Reichard College Football Profile".DraftScout.com.RetrievedMarch 28,2024.
- ^"Round 6, No. 203: Vikings draft Alabama K Will Reichard".The New York Times.April 28, 2024.RetrievedJuly 1,2024.